Fig. 1

Decreased %EF, SERCA2 expression and increased α-SKA and fibrosis in patients with DCM. Ejection fraction (%) (NFC, n = 7; DCM, n = 14) based on echocardiographic analysis at the clinical pre-operative assessment (a). Representative blots of SERCA2 and α-SkA with Tubulin as the loading control (b). Densitometry analysis of SERCA2 (c) and α-SkA (d), normalized to Tubulin, respectively (NFC, n = 6; DCM, n = 6). Collagen visualization and trichrome staining expressed as collagen area (%) (NFC, n = 7; DCM, n = 10) (e). Data are presented as mean ± SEM. Data were analysed by t-test. *p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant